1837.] 



and preparation of Senna. 



359 



In Tinnevelly, the only district, I believe, in Southern India, where it 

 is cultivated to any extent, the soil employed is of a grey alluvial kind, 

 or such as, at some former period, has been under wet cultivation, con- 

 sisting of a mixture of sand and clay. I also saw a field of it in the 

 bed of an old tank, the soil of which was such as above described. 



The ground is first well ploughed, to loosen it thoroughly, and clear 

 it from weeds. The sowing usually commences in December, towards 

 the end of the rains, to give the seed the advantage of the last showers 

 of the season to make it vegetate. It is sown in rows about 18 inches 

 or two feet apart, by dropping two or three seeds into holes about an 

 inch deep, and a foot and half distant from each other. If rain falls, 

 nothing further is required; if not, they are watered two or three times- 

 to promote germination. 



When the plants have attained the height of two or three inches, the 

 ground is loosened about the roots and well weeded. Should the season 

 prove very dry, and vegetation seem to flag, they are again watered & 

 the rule being, that the larger the leaves the better the quality ; hence; 

 they are classed into first, second,, and third sorts, according to that 

 criterion. In about six months the leaves are considered fit for gather- 

 ing, which is known by the spike of flowers being produced, but the 

 flowers not yet opened. Three gatherings are taken, the two last at 

 intervals of ten or twelve days ; when the crop is finished, and the 

 plants no longer considered capable of producing a marketable 

 article; they are then allowed to ripen their seeds for next 

 season. Some skill is required in gathering, to effect that operation 

 economically, and ac the same time without injuring the plants. The 

 Senna bears a pinnate leaf, that is, one having a. centre stalk with a. 

 number of leaflets (6 to 10) on each side. The object is to remove 

 these, leaving the stalk attached to the bush. To accomplish this the 

 lower end of the stalk is gently laid hold of, from below, between the 

 finger and thumb, and the leaflets stripped off into the hand, by draw- 

 ing the fingers along the stalk. In this way the bushes are rapidly- 

 cleared of their foliage, and no unintentional admixture of pods or 

 other impurities can possibly occur. In about twelve days the second, 

 crop of leaves is fit for gathering, and in twelve or fourteen days more, 

 the third and last is plucked.. 



The most important part of the process yet remains— that of drying— 

 for, unless properly dried, both its commercial value and medicinal pro- 

 perties are deteriorated. Two methods have been tried, namely, ex- 

 posure to the heat of the sun and to a current of air in a dark room. 

 The former is said to be the method pursued in Egypt, the latter is the 

 plan adopted in Tinnevelly ; at least so I was told, but, at the same time, 

 with such evident reluctance, as to leave a doubt on my mind of its be- 

 ing really a true statement. I have now, however, no doubt on the 



